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Some computer languages are written for a specific purpose. Java was initially devised to control toasters and other electronics. C was developed for programming OSs. Pascal was conceptualized to teach proper programming techniques. But C++ is a general-purpose language. It is the widely acknowledged nickname “Swiss Pocket Knife of Languages.”

What makes C++ unique?

C++ is a general-purpose programming language, created by Bjarne Stroustrup and his team at Bell Laboratories in 1979. Over the decades, C++ has become the language of choice for specific applications.

C++ is most popular for building large software infrastructure and applications on limited resources. Because C++ can directly manipulate the hardware (or machine) it runs on, programmers can fine-tune their code to run efficiently in any environment, even when limited hardware space or energy is available to power the application. This translates to applications that run quickly and reliably on various devices, making C++ ideal for forming the base layer of many important applications.

For these reasons, C++ is an excellent choice for building fast, efficient software that manages system resources and is reliable in performing critical tasks.

Popular programming languages in use?

Popular languages mainly used are C++, Python, and C.

Lower-level languages like

• Assembly Language
• C
• C++

These languages force the programmer to think more about the problem in computer programming terms and its implementations, instead of the business logic.

Is C++ the best programming language?

The answer depends on perspective and requirements. Some tasks can be done in C++, though not very quickly, such as designing GUI screens for applications.

Other languages, like Visual Basic and Python, have GUI design elements built into them, so they are better suited for GUI-type tasks.

Some scripting languages that provide extra programmability to applications, such as MS Word and Photoshop, tend to be variants of BASIC, not C++.

C++ is still widely used, and the most famous software has its backbone in C++.

This tutorial will help you learn C, C++, and advanced concepts.

Who uses C++?

Some of today’s most visible used systems have critical parts written in C++.

Examples are Amadeus (airline ticketing)

• Bloomberg (financial formation),
• Amazon (Web commerce), Google (Web search)
• Facebook (social media)

Many programming languages depend on C++’s performance and reliability in their implementation. Examples include:

• Java Virtual Machines
• JavaScript interpreters (e.g., Google’s V8)
• Browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Google Chrome)
• Application and Web frameworks (e.g., Microsoft’s .NET Web services.

Applications that involve local and wide-area networks, user interaction, numeric, graphics, and database access highly depend on the C++ language.

Five Basic Concepts of C++

Here are five basic C++ concepts:

• C++ Variables
• And C++ Control Structures
• C++ Data Structures
• and C++ Syntax
• C++ Tools

C++ Variables

• Variables are the backbone of any programming language.
• A variable is merely a way to store some information for later use. We can retrieve this value or data by referring to a “word” describing this information.
• Once declared and defined, they may be used many times within the scope in which they were declared.

C++ Control Structures

• When a program runs, the compiler reads the code line by line (from top to bottom and, for the most part, left to right). This is known as “code flow. “
• When the code is being read from top to bottom, it may encounter a point where it must decide. The program may jump to a different part of the code. Based on the decision, it may even make the compiler re-run a specific piece again, or jump over a bunch of code.

C++ Data Structures

Let’s use a list of courses on “guru99” as the example! You probably have a list of courses in front of you. But how do you think they stored that? Also, there can be a lot of courses, and different users may register for different courses.

A data structure is a great way to avoid creating thousands of variables. C++ contains many types of inbuilt data structures. Arrays, which will be taught later, are most often used.

C++ Syntax

The syntax is a layout of words, expressions, and symbols.

Well, it’s because an email address has its well-defined syntax. You need some combination of letters and numbers, potentially with underscores (_) or periods (.) in between, followed by an at sign (@) and a website domain (company.com).

So, syntax in a programming language is much the same. They are well-defined rules that allow you to create a piece of well-functioning software.

But you’ll get errors if you don’t abide by the programming language or syntax.

C++ Tools

In the real world, a tool is something (usually a physical object) that helps you do a certain job promptly.

This holds true for the programming world, too. A programming tool is software that allows you to program faster when used with code.

Also, there are probably tens of thousands, if not millions, of different tools across all the programming languages.

Many consider an IDE, an Integrated Development Environment, the most crucial tool. An IDE is software that will make your coding life much easier. IDEs ensure that your files and folders are organized and give you a nice and clean way to view them.

Use of the C++ Programming Language

• Operating Systems
• Games
• Browsers
• Libraries
• Graphics
• Banking Applications
• Cloud/Distributed Systems
• Embedded Systems
• Compilers

Operating Systems

Whether it is Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, all operating systems have some parts programmed in C++. In Addition, C++ is the backbone of all the well-known OSs, as it is a strongly typed and quick programming language that makes it an ideal choice for developing an operating system.

Games

Because it is one of the fastest programming languages, C++ is widely used in game development engines. C++ can easily manipulate hardware resources and provide procedural programming for CPU-intensive functions.

Browsers

The rendering engines of various web browsers are programmed in C++ because of the speed it offers.

Libraries

Many high-level libraries use C++ as the core programming language. For example, several Machine Learning libraries use C++ in the backend because of its speed.

Graphics

Also, C++ is widely used in almost all graphics applications that require fast rendering, image processing, real-time physics, and mobile sensors.

Banking Applications

One of the most popular core banking systems, Infosys Finacle, uses C++ as the backend programming language. Banking applications need to process millions of transactions daily and require high concurrency and low latency support.

Cloud/Distributed Systems

Cloud storage systems use scalable file systems that work closely with the hardware. That’s why C++ has become a preferred choice for Cloud systems.

Embedded Systems

Various embedded systems like medical machines, smartwatches, etc., use C++ as the primary programming language.

Compilers

Compilers of various programming languages use C++ as the backend programming language.